poetry reading

My dear childhood friend, Elizabeth, came over a few weeks ago for lunch. We drank cappuccinos, regular coffee and Pepsi and ate vegetable soup and warm Italian bread dipped in olive oil and sea salt. We had very relaxing conversation. (this sounds like news from a little hometown paper from the 1920’s!) The best part of it was the poetry reading. Elizabeth has a car full of literature and poetry. It’s stacked all over her seats like a messy portable library. She saw my blog and my T.S. Eliot quote. She went to her car and found the poem that the quote comes from. I sat and sipped coffee while she read me poetry. It was soooo relaxing… I thought this poem by Benjamin Alire Saenz was incredibly beautiful. She gave me a copy. She’s a college literature/comp teacher! She has copies of everything!

TO THE DESERT

I came to you one rainless August night.
You taught me how to live without the rain.
You are thirst and thirst is all I know.
You are sand, wind, sun, and burning sky,
The hottest blue. You blow a breeze and brand
Your breath into my mouth. You reach-thenbend
Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.You wrap your name tight around my ribs
And keep me warm. I was born for you.
Above , below, by you, by you surrounded.
I wake to you at dawn. Never break your
Knot. Reach, rise, blow,Salvame, mi dios,
Tragame, mi tierra. Salva, traga, Break me,
I am bread. I will be the water for your thirst.

Yes, she’s been a wonderful friend to me my whole life. I love drinking coffee with her while we visit. We’ve been doing that since we were teenagers. I love my close women friends, dearly. Women relationships are irreplaceable.

You are a source of encouragement for me. I am thankful to have such a loving supportive mom-in-law that I can call a friend.

YES! Women friends are the best, I am thankful for the women in my life, 5 sisters, and all my nieces, & of course MOM. I also have women friends in my life, all christians. Speaking of coffee, this winter we were getting together with friends ea. Tues. for coffee. Good times. Julie that sounded like such a relaxing day, with your friend, I hope you make it a habit. When we get together in June you can explain the poem to me. I am challenged in that area. I did get some of it and the warmth of it makes me feel better as my back has been spazing the last 2 evenings. “Live is 10% what you make it and 90% how you take it.” Quote on my calendar today. LOve